Paritua Syrah 2018

Hawke’s Bay, on the Eastern edge of North Island, New Zealand, has built a reputation for high quality Bordeaux blends, Syrah and Chardonnay. Paritua is a relatively new project that has been creating quite a stir domestically, and in a short space of time has come to be regarded as one of Hawke’s Bay’s leading wineries. Paritua is located in the heart of the Hawkes Bay Wine Region, the ‘Bridge Pa Triangle’ District. This is one of New Zealand’s most diverse regions for the growing and crafting of premium red and white wines. The name Paritua means ‘the meandering stream above the ancient river’ and is a tribute to the Paritua Stream, which meanders gently through the vineyard which is planted over the historical riverbed of the nearby Ngaruroro River which flowed through pre the 1860s earthquake

The development of the vineyard and winery infrastructure was a collaboration with leading New Zealand architects, Crosson Clarke. Every design aspect was carefully considered and the winemaking operation had to be not only efficient, but also sustainable with the added requirement to sit gracefully in its environment. The vines were planted in 2003 and with 53 hectares (130 acres) planted in three phases: seventy percent is devoted to red varieties – Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec – with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay completing the picture. Paritua’s vineyard enjoys stony, free draining gravel soils, long summers and crisp winters, which combine to produce exceptional wines. Paritua is in conversion to Organic Viticulture and will be fully certified in March 2022.

No expense has been spared and like many of the top Bordeaux chateaux, the winery uses an optical sorting machine to ensure consistency year in year out. As well as top quality premium reds, there are also some lovely wines at accessible prices, which really overdeliver.

The Syrah is estate grown Estate grown in the Paritua Vineyard on Maraekakaho Road. The vines are managed to crop light and have good fruit exposure. Fruit thinning takes place to one bunch per cane to maximise ripening potential. Harvest is all by hand once the grapes have achieved optimum physiological ripeness. Whole bunches are destemmed and partially crushed, with around 20% whole berry in the tank. After several days the ferment is started and kept under 30°C. Regular pump-overs keep the cap submerged and extract the fine skin tannins. Malo-lactic fermentation takes place in tank during maceration. The wine undergoes elevage for 12 to 14 months in a mix of 225L oak barriques and 500L oak puncheons, it is racked once before bottling the year following harvest. 50% new French oak is used. A lush aroma of black plum, blackberry and fragrant blueberry with hints of black pepper, cola bean and 5 spice underline the complex bouquet. This is a beautifully balanced wine supported by a silky textured palate with firm but fine-grained tannins and a hint of oak giving this Syrah the structure and length to cellar gracefully for several years.